Our Mission
PLEASE NOTE:
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, New Hampshire Legal Assistance is OPEN. Masks are required in NHLA's offices. If you do not have a mask, we will give one to you. If you are feeling sick, please do not come to our offices. We can talk with you by telephone or video meeting instead. To apply for legal assistance, please visit www.603legalaid.org or call 603-224-3333
To fax documents to any NHLA office: 1-833-722-0271
NHLA was awarded the 2022 Nonprofit Impact Award from the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits. Check out NHLA Executive Director, Sarah Mattson Dustin's, acceptance speech in the video below.
New Hampshire Legal Assistance is a nonprofit law firm working to make justice a reality for and with people who experience economic hardship that threatens their basic human needs. Through representation and systemic advocacy, NHLA offers civil legal aid that addresses the effects and root causes of poverty.
We offer our clients high-quality civil legal aid to address the legal problems that affect their daily survival and most basic needs. These services range from simple legal information and advice to vigorous and thorough representation in all of New Hampshire's courts and before many of the local, state and federal agencies which play large roles in their lives. In providing legal services to the poor, NHLA helps ensure the legal system provides the fairness and justice that all New Hampshire residents deserve.
NHLA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity, in the delivery of services.
A note about this website: Clicking on the red "ESCAPE" button that appears next to our logo at the top of every page will give you a quick escape from the website. Computer use can be monitored and may be impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your use of the internet or the computer may be monitored, use a secure computer, call a local domestic violence hotline, and/or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.
NHLA priority issues
Legal aid at the doctor's office might help low-income patients
How local welfare should work: One client's story as told by her NHLA advocate
NHLA protects low-income tenants from the dangers of lead paint
NHLA, Pro Bono expand program to help low-income debtors
Our Offices
Berlin
Claremont
Concord
Manchester
Portsmouth
Administration
Testimonial

Treated with respect...
I was treated with respect and importantly everyone genuinely listened to what I had to say. That is rare now a days.
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Latest News
NHLA Receives $738,000 NH Bar Foundation IOLTA Grant
Posted May 25, 2023New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) was recently awarded $738,000 from the New Hampshire Bar Foundation’s IOLTA Grants Program to provide civil legal aid to people with low income. With support from the IOLTA Grants Program, NHLA advocates will be able to help more clients stay safe from domesti ...read more
Attorney Michael Merra Joins NHLA Housing Justice Project
Posted May 25, 2023NHLA recently welcomed Michael Merra as a staff attorney based in Manchester for the Housing Justice Project.
Mike brings more than 30 years of civil litigation experience in the New Hampshire court system. He has been the lead attorney in complex business litigation cases in the NH Superior Co ...read more
NHLA Statement on HB 49 Regarding the Sununu Youth Services Center
Posted Mar 23, 2023Statement from Michelle Wangerin, Youth Law Project Director of New Hampshire Legal Assistance New Hampshire has a long history of institutionalizing kids when their needs could be appropriately supported through a robust array of community-based services. Senate Bill 94 (2021) prioritized fro ...read more
NHLA Welcomes New Staff Attorneys for 2023
Posted Feb 17, 2023There are some new faces at New Hampshire Legal Assistance in 2023. Our team is thrilled to welcome attorneys Jonathan Teller-Elsberg and Elyssa Willadsen to our dedicated staff. Jonathan will be representing NHLA at our medical legal partnership with Dartmouth Health and TLC Family Resource Center ...read more
NHLA Statement on Governor Sununu's 2023 Budget
Posted Feb 14, 2023Statement from Sarah Mattson Dustin, Executive Director of New Hampshire Legal Assistance The Governor’s budget, released today, includes $2,250,000 per year in civil legal aid funding for New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA). NHLA provides civil legal aid related to our clients’ most basic ne ...read more